Device for Separating and Positioning Module Bridges

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a device for separating module bridges arranged in a module bridge strip and for positioning the separated module bridges on a support element, comprising a dividing device for dividing the module bridge strip in the edge regions thereof between in each case two module bridges, and a placement wheel for separately receiving the separated module bridges on its peripheral edge side, for transporting the same at interposer edges in a slip-free manner, and for depositing the module bridges onto the moving support element after a rotational movement of the placement wheel has been carried out about an axis oriented parallel to the module bridge plane, once an accelerated movement has been performed and synchronism has been achieved between the module bridges and the support element in order to prevent slip movements.

The invention relates to a device for separating module bridges arrangedin a module bridge strip or module bridge set and for positioning theseparated module bridges on a support element, according to the preambleof claim 1.

Module bridges, which are arranged in rows as interposers in the form ofan interposer strip or module bridge strip, have until now been cut bymeans of a dividing device in such a way that the module bridges are cutout separately from the module bridge strip. The module bridges are thenpositioned above a stationary support element by means of a furtherdevice and deposited individually onto the stationary support element bymeans of a downward displacement movement of this device. Alternatively,the positioning device can be kept above the support element without anydownward movement, while the support movement is moved towards thestationary module bridges by means of an upward displacement movement.

Once a module bridge has been deposited on the support element, thesupport element is moved further in its running direction by apredefined distance, so as to be able to receive another module bridgeat a new location.

Such devices require that the support element is kept stationary while amodule bridge is deposited thereon. Because of this, the throughput of aplacement device which includes such devices is reduced. Moreover, theseparate arrangement of the dividing device and of the positioningdevice requires that the module bridge has to be aligned each time aseparated module bridge is picked up by the positioning device.

Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide a devicefor separating module bridges from a module bridge strip and thenpositioning them with respect to a support element, which allows ahigher throughput during a module bridge placement operation.

This object is achieved according to the features of Claim 1.

One essential aspect of the invention is that, in a device forseparating module bridges arranged in a module bridge strip or modulebridge set and for positioning the separated module bridges on a supportelement, there is a dividing device for dividing the module bridge stripin the edge regions thereof between in each case two module bridges, anda placement wheel for separately receiving the separated module bridgeson its peripheral edge side, wherein the placement wheel is provided fordepositing the module bridges onto the moving support element after arotational movement of the placement wheel has been carried out about anaxis oriented parallel to the module bridge plane. By virtue of such adevice, module bridge strips which are perforated in such a way thatthey continue to have holding webs only in their edge regions betweenthe module bridges can be cut in a continuous operating procedure inorder to separate the module bridges and then can be deposited by theplacement wheel, the rotational speed of which is adapted to a speed ofthe support element, onto the moving support element, which may forexample be designed in a belt-like manner. Such an equipping of thesupport element therefore does not require the support element to bekept stationary for the positioning of the module bridge, which resultsin an increased throughput of a placement device.

Since the perforated module bridge strip has through-apertures,preferably holes, between the module bridges which serve for theengagement of pins or webs, for transporting the module bridge strip toa feed unit for feeding it to the dividing device, a precise alignmentof the module bridge strip in the region of a cutting blade can beachieved. In this way, there is no need for a detection camera, whichhas until now been customary, for aligning the module bridge strip andthe subsequently separated module bridges.

According to one preferred embodiment, the placement wheel has, on itsperipheral edge side, preferably spring-loaded holding elements whichare spaced apart from one another and are designed as carriers and areprovided for holding individual module bridges on the peripheral edgeside. These holding elements also serve to align the separated modulebridges on the placement wheel and with respect to the support element,on which they are ultimately deposited.

The placement wheel has, on its peripheral edge side, a width dimensionwhich corresponds to a length dimension of a module bridge, so that, bymeans of additional guide elements which are arranged on a brake shoe ofa brake device which is of complementary shape to the peripheral edgeside of the placement wheel and bears against the latter, lateralguidance and simultaneous alignment of the module bridges is possibleduring the rotational movement of the placement wheel.

Preferably, the placement wheel is designed in such a way that it has,on its peripheral edge side, at least in the region in which the modulebridges are received, between a web arranged on the left side and on theright side, recesses for receiving components arranged on the modulebridges. Damage to the components when the module bridges are placed onthe peripheral edge side is thus prevented.

The dividing device includes the cutting blade which can be displacedperpendicular to the plane of the module bridge strip and is providedfor cutting through the module bridge strip in the edge regions thereof,once it has been fed little by little by the feed unit to the cuttingblade, being fed in each case by a distance corresponding to the widthof one module bridge.

In order to permit a clean cut by means of the cutting blade withoutdisplacing the module bridge strip, the dividing device has a pressureram for pressing the module bridge strip against a surface of the feedunit.

Furthermore, the feed unit may have guide elements for laterally guidingthe module bridge strip.

Once the cutting blade has cut through the module bridge strip, theentire dividing device is tilted with respect to the placement wheelduring a further forward movement of the cutting blade, so that a gap iscreated between the remaining module bridge strip and the separatedmodule bridge which is picked up by the placement wheel.

The brake device with the brake shoe which bears against part of theperipheral edge side of the placement wheel and is provided for brakingthe rotating placement wheel is arranged between the dividing device andthe support element. The brake device, in collaboration with a motorwhich drives the placement wheel, ensures that the placement wheel,after it has picked up a module bridge, is accelerated to the rotationalspeed at which the circumferential speed corresponds to the speed of thecontinuously moving support element.

The brake device is additionally equipped with a heating element forheating contact adhesive points on the module bridges which are arrangedon the placement wheel, so that an adhesive arranged on the modulebridges is activated in order then to enter into an adhesive bond withthe support element.

The brake shoe preferably has two brake linings running along the edge,against which two pressing elements of complementary shape press, saidpressing elements being arranged on the peripheral edge side of theplacement wheel, wherein the module bridges are arranged between thepressing elements and the brake linings. A reliable additional fixing ofthe module bridges located on the placement wheel is thus possibleduring the rotational movement of said wheel.

In order to fix the individual module bridges on the support element, acounter-roller is arranged on the side of the support element oppositethe placement wheel and presses against the placement wheel with thesupport element and module bridge arranged therebetween.

Further advantageous embodiments emerge from the dependent claims.

Advantages and expedient features will become apparent from thefollowing description in conjunction with the drawing. In the drawing:

FIG. 1 shows, in a perspective view, an already perforated interposerstrip for use in a device according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows, in a perspective view, a device for separating andpositioning module bridges according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 shows, in a plan view, the device shown in FIG. 2 according toone embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 shows, in a perspective view, a placement wheel with a brakedevice for the device according to the invention;

FIG. 5 shows, in a perspective view, a brake device with an interposerstrip for the device according to the invention;

FIG. 6 shows, in a perspective view, a device according to anotherembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 1 shows, in a perspective view, an interposer strip 1 as can beused in the device according to the invention. The interposer strip 1has interposers 2 arranged in a row, said interposers having a lengthdimension 2 a, wherein the interposers have two contact adhesivesurfaces 3 on the left and right side. Components 4 are arranged betweenthe contact adhesive surfaces 3.

Such a single-row interposer strip 1, which may also be formed as astrip with multiple rows, is perforated in such a way that it hasperforation holes 6 between the interposer cutting and transportingedges 5. In this way, holding webs 7 exist in the edge region of theinterposer strip 1, which holding webs hold the individual interposers 2together to form the interposer strip 1.

FIG. 2 shows, in a perspective view, the device according to theinvention. As can be seen from FIG. 2, the interposer strip 1 is movedlittle by little along a feed unit 8 with a surface 8 a, by means ofwebs 10 engaging in said strip, in the arrow direction 9 towards acutting device 12. As soon as the interposer strip 1 has moved thedistance corresponding to one module bridge width, a pressure rampresses against the interposer strip from above in order to fix itduring the cutting operation.

A displacement of a cutting blade 13 or of cutting rollers then takesplace, as shown by the double arrow 13 a. The downwardly moving cuttingblade 13 cuts the projecting interposer from the interposer strip 1. Tothis end, the cutting blade 13 is designed in such a way that it cutsthrough only the holding webs 7 arranged at the edge of the interposerstrip 1. The rest of the strip between the interposers has already beencut through during the perforation operation. In this way, the cuttingforces that have to be applied are reduced.

The cutting blade 13 then continues to move downwards, while the entirecutting device 12 is tilted with respect to the placement wheel, inorder in this way to create a gap between the rest of the interposerstrip and the interposer that has been cut off.

The cutting blades are designed in such a way that the cutting forcesduring the operation of cutting the holding webs 7 act inwards, that isto say towards the centre of the strip, so as to prevent the formationof burs on the outer edge of the interposer.

A placement wheel 14 picks up the separated interposers 2 on itsperipheral edge side 14 a by means of carrier claws and rotates about anaxis 15.

The placement wheel 14 has a width which is smaller than theintermediate space between the cutting blades, which are formed in twoparts, so that the cutting blades 13 are moved past the placement wheel14 on the right and left side thereof during the cutting operation andthe tilting operation.

FIG. 3 shows, in a plan view, the embodiment of the device that wasshown in FIG. 2. The placement wheel has, at predefined sections of itsperipheral edge side, carrier claws 16 which serve to fix theinterposers 2 on the placement wheel. Such carrier claws are equippedwith a spring element and serve to transfer the separated interposersonce they have been cut from the interposer strip 1.

The width of the placement wheel 14 corresponds to a length dimension 2a of an interposer, preferably to a length dimension of the transportingedge 5.

The placement wheel 14 has two webs 18 and 19 which run along the edgethereof and against which the interposers bear. Arranged between thesewebs are recesses which serve to receive the components arranged on theinterposers.

The webs 18, 19 may be used as pressing elements for the fixing ofattachment points, which correspond to the adhesive surfaces 3, to themoving support element.

FIG. 4 shows, in a perspective view, a placement wheel with a brakedevice for the device according to the invention. The brake device 20has a brake shoe 21 which is of complementary shape to the peripheraledge side 14 a of the placement wheel 14. Also installed in the brakedevice is a heating element 22 which, by conducting or radiating heat,activates the adhesive surface 3 at an attachment point 17 of theinterposer 2.

As soon as the placement wheel 14 in conjunction with the brake device20 has reached a rotational speed which corresponds to a speed of asupport element 23, the interposer 2 is deposited on the support elementand fixed by means of a counter-roller 24 by applying pressure andactivating the adhesive surfaces.

FIG. 5 shows, in a perspective view, the brake device with theinterposer strip 1. The brake shoe 21 has brake linings 25 and 26running along the left and right side, against which the pressingelements 27 and 28 press, said pressing elements being fixed to theplacement wheel. The interposers 2 are clamped in an aligned positionbetween the pressing elements 27, 28 and the brake linings 25, 26.

FIG. 6 shows, in a perspective view, a further embodiment of theinvention. As can be seen from this figure, the placement wheel 14 iscoupled to a belt 29 which conveys the separated interposers.

In order to fix the interposers on the moving support element in aprecise manner, accurate position determination in the X and Y directionof the interposers is required. Such an alignment is achieved bymovement on defined edges of the interposer. For the fixing in the Ydirection, lateral guides are mounted on the brake shoe 21. Theindividual interposer is transported in the X direction by the carrierclaw 16 on the placement wheel, wherein the carrier claw must alwaysbear against the defined transport edge 5 of the interposer. Slipping ofthe interposer is prevented by the pressing elements 27, 28 pressing theinterposer against the brake linings 25, 26.

The fixing of the individual interposers between the counter-roller 24and the placement wheel 14 takes place in such a way that the pressureon the adhesive attachment points 17 and thus a degree of pre-fixing isachieved by pushing the individual interposer into a gap between thesupport element 23 bearing against the counter-roller 24 and the webs18, 19 of the placement wheel 14. The gap is adjustable, as a result ofwhich a pressing force on the interposer is variable. It should be notedthat the interposer is pushed into the gap only once it has beenaccelerated by means of the placement wheel. This prevents any slipbetween the interposer and the support element 23.

All of the features disclosed in the application documents are claimedas essential to the invention in so far as they are novel with respectto the prior art either individually or in combination with one another.

LIST OF REFERENCES

-   1 interposer strip-   2 interposer-   2 a length side of the interposer-   3 adhesive surfaces of the interposer-   4 component region of the interposer-   5 transporting edge of the interposer-   6 perforation holes-   7 holding webs-   8 feed unit-   8 a surface of the feed unit-   9 transport direction of the interposer strip-   10 webs, form-fitting elements-   11 pressure ram-   12 cutting device-   13 cutting blades, cutting rollers-   13 a displacement direction of the cutting blades-   14 placement wheel-   14 a peripheral edge side of the placement wheel-   15 axis-   16 carrier claw-   17 attachment points of the interposer-   18, 19 webs of the placement wheel-   20 brake device-   21 brake shoe-   22 heating element-   23 support element-   24 counter-roller-   25, 26 brake linings-   27, 28 pressing elements-   29 belt

1. Device for separating module bridges arranged in a module bridgestrip or module bridge set and for positioning the separated modulebridges on a support element, characterised by a dividing device fordividing the module bridge strip in the edge regions thereof between ineach case two module bridges, and a placement wheel for separatelyreceiving and transporting in a slip-free manner the separated modulebridges on its peripheral edge side and for depositing the modulebridges onto the moving support element after a rotational movement ofthe placement wheel has been carried out about an axis oriented parallelto the module bridge plane.
 2. Device according to claim 1,characterised in that the placement wheel has, on its peripheral edgeside, spring-loaded holding elements which are spaced apart from oneanother and are provided for holding and carrying individual modulebridges on the peripheral edge side.
 3. Device according to claim 1,characterised in that the placement wheel has, on its peripheral edgeside, a width dimension which corresponds to a length dimension of amodule bridge.
 4. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that theplacement wheel has, on its peripheral edge side, at least in the regionin which the module bridges are received, between a web arranged on theleft side and on the right side, recesses for receiving componentsarranged on the module bridges.
 5. Device according to claim 1,characterised in that the dividing device has a cutting blade or cuttingrollers which can be displaced perpendicular to the plane of the modulebridge strip and is/are provided for cutting through the module bridgestrip in the edge regions thereof.
 6. Device according to claim 5,characterised in that the dividing device is connected to a feed unitfor feeding the module bridge strip to the cutting blade.
 7. Deviceaccording to claim 6, characterised in that the dividing device has apressure ram for pressing the module bridge strip against a surface ofthe feed unit during a dividing operation.
 8. Device according to claim6, characterised in that the feed unit has guide elements for laterallyguiding the module bridge strip.
 9. Device according to claim 6,characterised in that the feed unit has form-fitting elements forengaging in through-apertures of the module bridge strip.
 10. Deviceaccording to claim 1, characterised in that the dividing device can betilted with respect to the placement wheel during a dividing operation.11. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that a brake devicewhich bears against part of the peripheral edge side of the placementwheel and is provided for braking the rotating placement wheel isarranged between the dividing device and the support element.
 12. Deviceaccording to claim 11, characterised in that the placement wheel, underthe effect of the brake device and a motor, can be accelerated to arotational speed at which the circumferential speed corresponds to aspeed of the moving support element.
 13. Device according to claim 11,characterised in that the brake device includes a heating element forheating contact adhesive points on the module bridges.
 14. Deviceaccording to claim 11, characterised in that the brake device has, on abrake shoe which bears against the peripheral edge side of the placementwheel, guide elements for laterally guiding the module bridges duringthe rotational movement of the placement wheel.
 15. Device according toclaim 14, characterised in that the brake shoe has two brake liningsrunning along the edge, against which two pressing elements ofcomplementary shape press, said pressing elements being arranged on theperipheral edge side, wherein the module bridges are arranged betweenthe pressing elements and the brake linings.
 16. Device according toclaim 1, characterised by a counter-roller which is arranged on a sideof the support element opposite the placement wheel and is provided forfixing the module bridges on the support element.
 17. Device accordingto claim 1, characterised by a perforation device for perforating themodule bridge strip in such a way that the module bridges are separatedfrom one another with the exception of the edge region of the modulebridge strip, in order to minimise a cutting force of the dividingdevice.
 18. Device according to claim 17, characterised in that theperforation device is suitable for creating defined interposer edges fortransporting the separated interposers in a slip-free and precisemanner.